Connector for metallic furniture support strips

ABSTRACT

An article of furniture having side rails generally rectangular in cross section with strips of support material extending therebetween and wrapped around portions of rails. A channelshaped clip receives a portion of rail with each terminal end of strips between and in engagement with both rail and adjacent flange of clip. Inturned projections on adjacent flange penetrate adjacent terminal end.

United States Patent 1 a corporation of New York. by mesne assignments [S4] CONNECTOR FOR METALLIC FURNITURE PORT STRIPS laims, 3 Drawing Figs. [52] 0.5. CI 160/184, 24 160/404 5 1 Int. Cl 05d 3/48,

EOSd 3/96 [50] Field of Search 160/184, 404, 398 (T.F.); 24/265 3,561,519 [72] Inventor T. W. Tawbush [56] RefereneesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS [211 APPLNQ 809,75 2,629,432 2/1953 Hanslick 160 ..ux [22'] Mar-24,1969 2,766,814 10/1956 Sedlacek I60 ..ux 1451 m Feb-9,1971 2,871,926 2/1959 Haschke 160/T.1=.ux [73] Asslgnee U.S.P1ywood-Champ|on-Paper Inc.

59 Molla etal New York, N.Y.

2,903,048 3,088,517 63 Schwartz et a1 Primary ExaminerDennis L. Taylor Attorney-Jennings, Carter & Thompson flange penetrate adjace rmin nd.

CONNECTOR FOR METALLIC FURNITURE SUPPORT STRIPS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a connector for metallic furniture support strips and more particularly to means for securing the terminal ends of such support strips to spaced-apart side rails.

As is well known in the art to which my invention relates, difficulties have been encountered in securing the terminal ends of webbing strips to spaced-apart side rails whereby the webbing strip is not damaged at the point of attachment to the side rails. Various type connector elements have been proposed, such as the double-channel connector disclosed in the Kenneth Schwartz and Robert E. Sussman Pat. No. 3,088,517, issued on May 7, 1963. While such connector members eliminate the necessity of securing the webbing strips in place by exposed fastening members, the doublechannel structure greatly increases the cost of manufacture and the retention of the terminal end of the strip in place is dependent upon the engagement of the strip by the adjacent sides of the channellike member positioned outwardly of side rail. That is, the terminal end of the webbing strip extends upwardly between a pair of flanges carried by a second channel member.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION To provide a more positive attachment between the terminal end of the webbing strip and the side rail and to reduce the cost of manufacture of the securing means, I provide a connector for the terminal ends of the webbing or supporting strips wherein a single-channel member is provided and the terminal end of the supporting web strip is gripped firmly between one flange of the channellike member and the adjacent side of the side rail. lnwardly extending projections are carried by the flange of the channellike member extending alongside the terminal end of the strip in position to penetrate the end portions of the support strip whereby the terminal ends are gripped firmly in place without the use of exposed securing members.

A connector for metallic furniture support strips is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. I is a vertical sectional view through a pair of side rails showing the manner in which the terminal ends of the support strips are secured in place by my improved connector, the support webbing strip being broken away between the side members:

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. I, the side rail and webbing support strip being removed for the sake of clarity; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention, I show spaced-apart side rails and 11 which are generally rectangular, as viewed in cross section. The side rails-are of the conventional type employed along the sides and back of a metallic chair or the like. Extending between the spaced-apart side rails 10 and 11 are the usual strips of webbing material 12 which provide supports for the article of furniture in the usual manner. That is, the strips of material 12 are of the usual type, such as strips of woven or solid material, which may be either natural or synthetic.

To secure the terminal ends of the strip of material 12 to the side rails 10 and II, I provide a generally channel-shaped clip member 13 having a web 14 with flanges l6 and 17 extending from opposite ends thereof, as shown in FIG. 1. That is, the flanges I6 and 17 extend in the same general direction and parallel to each other to define legs for the channellike member 13 which receive the side rails 10 and 11, as shown. The flanges 16 and I7 are spaced from each othera distance to receive therebetween a portion of a side rail 10 or II with the terminal end 18 of the strip of material 12 being positioned between and in direct contact with the flanges l7 and the adjacent side of the side rail 10 or II, as the case may be. Each end portion of the strip of material I2 is wrapped around a portion of a rail 10 or II and over the outer surface of the web 14 and the flange 16, as shown in FIG. I, with the terminal end 18 extending between the flange l7 and. the adjacent side of the side rail, thus securing the clip member I3 to the rail.

lnturned projections 19 are carried by the free end of flange 17 in position to penetrate the terminal end portion of the strip of material I2 and thus secure the terminal end 18 of support strip 12 to the end of flange 17. Since the strip 12 is secured to the flange I7 and is wrapped around the flange I6 and the web 14 of the clip member 13, as shown in FIG. I, the clip member 13 is secured firmly to the rail and is held in the secured position by the strip I2. To further assure a firm grip between the inturned projections I9 and the terminal end portion of the support strips 12, the inturned projections are in the form of toothlike members which extend inwardly of the flange I7 and deflne an acute included angle therewith. The terminal ends of the inturned projections 19 thus extend inwardly toward the free end of the strip of material 12, as shown in FIG. I, to provide a hooklike connection between the projections 19 and the terminal end 18 of the strip of material 12. The portion of the side rails 10 and II which receives the clip 13 is of the shape to conform generally to the inside of the channellike member 13 with the terminal end 18 of the strip of material 12 positioned adjacent the flange 17, as shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, a firm, snug fit is provided between the channellike clip member 13 and the rail 10 or II,

as the case may be, with the terminal end 18 of the strip 12 therebetween.

As shown in FIG. 1, each terminal end 18 of the strip of material 12 is positioned alongside the inner surface of a flange 17 with the adjacent portion of the strip of material 12 passing around and contacting a web 14 and a flange 16. Upon insertion of the clip members 13 over adjacent portions of rails 10 and 11, each terminal end 18 of the strip of material 12 engages the side of a rail facing the inner surface of a flange l7 and an adjacent side of the rail so that the strip of material 12 engages the outer surfaces of two adjacent sides of a rail and two adjacent sides of the clip member 13 as well as the inner surface of flange 17, as shown in FIG. I. Accordingly, as each clip member 113 is snapped over the rail with a snug'fit; with the material 12 in the relative position shown in FIG. 1, each terminal end 18 is gripped between a flange 17 and the side of the rail facing flange 17, thus eliminating the necessity of any additional step of bending flange I7 into engagement with the terminal end 18.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that l have devised an improved connector for metallic furniture support strips. By providing a connector in the form of a single channellike member of a size to receive with a snug fit the side rail with the terminal end of the strip of support material 12 between the side rail and one flange of the channellike clip member, together with the inturned teethlike members 19, the terminal end 18 of the strip of material is secured. firmly in place so that any downward pull on the terminal end I8 of the strip of support material causes the channellike clip member 13 to be moved toward the side rail. Also, by wrapping the end portion of the strip of support material 12 around the web 14 and flange I6 of the channellike clip member 13 and then beneath the side rail 10 or II, as the case may be, any load on the strip of support material 12 intermediate the side rails 10 and 11 actually causes the side rails to be gripped tighter to thus further assure a nonslip connection between the terminal ends of the strip of support material 12 and the side rails 10 and 11. Furthermore, by providing a connector member in the form of a single channellike member having inturned projections which extend inwardly of a flange of the channellike member and define therewith an included angle less than the ter- While l have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

1 claim:

An article of furniture including side rails having a generally rectangular cross section and supports, the improvement comprising;

a. strips of material forming said supports,

b. a generally channel-shaped clip member for each terthe portion of each strip of material adjacent the terminal end thereof being wrapped around said adjacent portion of a side rail and in the direct contactwith theouter surfaces of said web, said first flange and the side of said side rail opposite the side thereof engaging said web with the terminal end of said strip of material in direct contact with the inner surface of said second flange and the outer surface of said facing side of the adjacent portion of said side rail, and Y e. inturned projections carried by said second flange penetrating said terminal end adjacent thereto securing said second flange to the adjacent terminal end so that said wrapped around portion of each strip of material secures each clip member to said adjacent portion of a side rail and maintains said supports on said rails.

2. An article of furniture as defined in claim 1 in which the inturned projections are toothlike. members which extend inwardly of said second flange as define an acute included anglc therewith. 

1. An article of furniture including side rails having a generally rectangular cross section and supports, the improvement comprising; a. strips of material forming said supports, b. a generally channel-shaped clip member for each terminal end of said strips of material, c. each said clip member comprising a web with a first flange and a second flange extending from opposite ends thereof and receiving with a snug fit an adjacent portion of a side rail with an adjacent terminal end of a strip of material extending between said second flange and the adjacent facing side of said adjacent portion of a side rail, d. the portion of each strip of material adjacent the terminal end thereof being wrapped around said adjacent portion of a side rail and in the direct contact with the outer surfaces of said web, said first flange and the side of said side rail opposite the side thereof engaging said web with the terminal end of said strip of material in direct contact with the inner surface of said second flange and the outer surface of said facing side of the adjacent portion of said side rail, and e. inturned projections carried by said second flange penetrating said terminal end adjacent thereto securing said second flange to the adjacent terminal end so that said wrapped around portion of each strip of material secures each clip member to said adjacent portion of a side rail and maintains said supports on said rails.
 2. An article of furniture as defined in claim 1 in which the inturned projections are toothlike members which extend inwardly of said second flange as define an acute included angle therewith. 